Railroad-cab brake



2 Sheets -Sheetl. G. W.'W|NDSOR.

Car Brake.

No. 19,223. Patented Jan. 26,1858.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. 'W. WINDSOR.

Gar Brake.

Patented Jan. 26, 1858.

UNIT GEO. W. WINDSOR, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-CAR BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE IV. lViNnson, of the city of Allegheny, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brakes for Locomotives and Railroad-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents the underside of a locomotive or (car, which is turned over so as to exhibit the several parts of my improved brake. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, right side up, showing the action of the brake on the rails.

In both figures, similar parts are indicated by like letters of reference.

My invention consists in the use of a brake for locomotives or railroad cars, constructed as hereinafter described and operating to stop their progress by pinching the rails on which the wheels run, which is effected by means of levers, operated at the will of the brakeman, by means of levers working in the threads of a screw cut on the axle of the locomotive or car.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improved railroad brake I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the drawings a is the bed or platform of a locomotive or car, Z), Z) are the driving wheels (if a locomotive), c is the axle of the wheels 72 b which being rigidly attached to the wheels in the usual manner, moves with them. On the axle c and near to each of its wheels are cut the threads of a double screw 8, s, the portion of the screw marked 8 turning in one direction, and the portion marked 8 turning in the reverse direct-ion. The threads of the screw 8, meet the threads of the screw 8 forming an acute angle at their point of junction. Immediately-under that point on the axle c where the meeting of the threads 8 and s of the double screw makes the acute angle, the long arms of the levers (Z, (Z pass longitudinally over, and at rightangles to the axle a, resting between the threads of the double screw, the lever (Z, lying between the threads 8 and the lever (Z lying between the threads 8, so that as the axle 0 turns on its axis when the locomotive is moving forward, the threads of the 19,223, dated January 26, 1858.

double screw, turning in opposite directions causes the long arms of the levers (Z and d (which at first were parallel to each other) to diverge and separate. The fulcrum or turning point of the parallel levers (Z, (Z is at e which is a round rod of iron, supported horizontally across the bed of the locomotive by the brackets f, f. These levers (Z, (Z are kept in place on their fulcrum rod 6 by small pins 2' 2' passed through the rod 6. The short arms g, g of the levers (Z, (Z extend downward from the fulcrum rod 6, just far enough to pinch the upper edge of the rail it (see Fig. 2), when the long arms (Z, (Z', of the levers are forced apart by the action of the double screw 8, 8.

On the axle 0 there are two double screws, (one of which is hidden in Fig. 1, by the driving wheel 6) and two pairs of levers, one pair adjusted to pinch the rail on one side of the track, and the other to pinch the rail on the other side of the track. Now as the power of the locomotive is applied to the driving wheels Z), Z) and they turn-the axle c, which, by means of the double screws 8, s, forces apart the long arms of the levers (Z, (Z, and causes the short arms g, g to pinch the rail, it is manifest that the speed of the locomotive will be very soon completely arrested, as the power directly applied to stop the motion is the same which produces it, and is greater than any force applied by hand power by means of the brakes now in use.

It is necessary, of course, so to arrange the pinching levers that they will not be in the way of the rails when the cars are in motion and not desired to be stopped. This I effect by depressing the long arms (Z, (Z of the pinching levers so that they may not be engaged in the threads of the screw 8, s, which raises the short arms g, 9 above the top of the rail.

A strong bar Z0, turning on a pivot n carries at one end a cross bar Z which is slit to receive the ends of the long arms of the levers (Z, (Z, the other end of the bar 72, projects upward through the platform of the car, so as to be accessible to the engineer or brakeman. A strong spring 29 pressing against the bar 70 keeps the levers (Z (Z in place between the threads of the double screw 8, s, but when the handle of the bar 70 is raised up (in which position it may be fastened by a pin) the cross bar Z, is pressed down and the levers (Z d are thrown out of gear with the double screw 8, s, and a band of gum elastic g or other contrivance draws together the levers cl, d.

When it is desired to apply the brake, the pin supporting the handle of the bar is is withdrawn, the bar 70 then presses upward the levers d, d which come in contact with the threads of the double screw 8, s, the angle formed by the meeting of the opposite threads 8 and s is precisely between the two levers (Z, d which immediately gear into the screw and opening, cause the short arms 9, g, firmly to grip the rail.

This brake needs no hand pressure, as it derives its power, (when applied to a locomotive,) from the driving wheels and when applied to a car from the momentum of the train.

Having thus described my improved railroad brake what I claim as my invent-ion and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The use of a brake constructed as hereinbefore described, and operating, at the will of the brakeman, by means of levers working in the threads of a screw cut in the axle of the car or locomotive wheels, to pinch the rails on which the wheels travel, and thus retard the progress of the cars.

GEO. WV. WINDSOR.

Witnesses MARTIN G. CUsHING, L. P. STONE. 

